Sarah Silverman joins Bradley Cooper in Netflix's Maestro
Silverman is set to play Leonard Bernstein's sister, Shirley Anne
Bradley Cooper’s upcoming biopic about iconic Broadway composer Leonard Bernstein, Maestro, now has a new star in the mix. Sarah Silverman has signed on to play Bernstein’s sister Shirley Anne in the film, Deadline reports.
Cooper, who famously swooped up the exclusive rights to Bernstein’s story from Jake Gyllenhaal (sorry, Jake!), will play the musical genius in the film. He’s also set to direct. Carey Mulligan will play Bernstein’s wife, Felicia Montealegre, with Matt Bomer and Maya Hawke also filling out the cast.
Though Silverman is best known for her off-beat and often gleefully filthy comedy, the actress has proven her merit in dramatic roles as well, making memorable turns in Masters Of Sex and the 2015 film I Smile Back.
The film will reportedly organize its timeline around Bernstein and Montealegre’s decades-long love story, from their meeting in the 1940s to their life raising three children together. Cooper worked directly with Bernstein’s family to develop the film.
Cooper first announced Maestro in late January during a conversation with Mahershala Ali during Variety’s Actors On Actors series. Cooper shared that after the smash success of his 2018 directorial debut A Star Is Born, he was so excited at the prospect of both acting and directing again that he asked Steven Spielberg—who had been loosely attached to the project—for permission to wear both hats and direct Maestro himself. According to Cooper, Spielberg gave him the go-ahead; the legendary director will produce the film alongside Martin Scorsese.
For Maestro, Cooper also took on a new role as writer, penning the film’s script alongside Oscar-winning Spotlight screenwriter Josh Singer. The film will be released in theaters as well as on streaming. The film is already generating Oscar buzz, but Maestro has no official release date, and only just began filming.
Though a new big-screen, Cooper-directed musical might still be far off on the horizon, this casting update feels like as good a reason as any to stream “Shallow” today.